Up, big brother, up!
by Lkcsi
Summary: Prince Heinz wants his amazing big brother Keith to do something for him, but the toddler still couldn't say the 'th' sound in his name. He improvises instead, and melts Keith's heart.


**Summary: Prince Heinz wants his amazing big brother Keith to do something for him, but the toddler still couldn't say the 'th' sound in his name. He improvises instead, and melts Keith's heart.**

" _Let's practice again, Heinz. Tell them your name before your royal speech." Keith gestured to the row of stuffed toys and apples with crudely drawn faces taped on them before the pair._

" _I'm Heins Newish Winnamee! Pwince of Winnamee!" Heinz shot his tiny arms up and cheered. "I love you, bro!"_

" _Aww." Keith kissed the little prince's cheek_. " _Now tell them my name. They would want to know who's carrying the Prince, yes?"_

" _Umm…" He twiddled his tiny thumbs and pouted a little._

" _What's wrong?"_

" _Hard name."_

" _Is it hard to say? It's okay, you can try. Don't worry about mistakes right now."_

" _Ahhh! Big bro here!" Heinz tapped his older brother's head with his index finger. "I love Kee Aewo Winnamee! Knight!"_

 _Tears of joy flooded Keith's eyes. "You really think I can be a Knight?"_ To think you're so adorable and you want to introduce me to everyone and tell them all just how much you love me, _he thought to himself,_ I wish I was allowed to tell people how much I love you.

" _Yes! Cool big bro! Strong knight of Winnamee!"_

" _Aww."_

" _But… you have hard name." Heinz looked down, his shoulders dropping and his runes glowing indigo. "Kee… Kees…?"_

" _Ahh, little brother." Keith poked one of his little brother's runes. Frustration coursed from within, and the older boy was quick to act on it. He kissed his brother's head again and pulled his tiny body closer. "Heinz?"_

" _Kee?"_

" _I can teach you how to say my name. Don't worry now. I can help you."_

 _Instantly, the prince's runes curled up and gleamed bright yellow-green. "Kee! I love you!"_

" _I love you, too, baby brother. Now say, 'th', Heinz."_

" _Sss!"_

" _No, listen. 'Th'."_

" _Sss…? Oh..."_

" _Aww, Heinz, don't worry now, alright? You will be able to say it when you're older. Just wait. I love you."_

" _I love you! I wait!"_

* * *

Keith was starting to feel like his legs were falling off of his knees. One one hand, following his brother and preventing him from stumbling was his duty as a brother, and in the other hand, hovering over his hyperactive brother wasn't exactly a good idea for his poor legs and feet. Heinz was still learning how to sprint swiftly. The problem was that the prince was having a lot of fun waddling and running around the Royal Gardens. For Heinz, who had a paper crown on his head, the grass was enough to properly cushion his falls and the act of stumbling wasn't that big of a problem because he could just stand back up again, but for Keith, the earth dared to threaten his baby brother's fragile body. If he could stare down the earth into submission, he would command it to soften like pillows whenever Heinz tripped, and if he cried out in pain, it would taste the fury of the wind.

But alas, the soil only has itself as its own master.

"Heinz! Be careful!" Keith called out, chasing the little boy while huffing and puffing. His face turned a bit red, and the cadet finally broke some sweat. He sheathed the toy sword in its toy scabbard, which had been tied around his waist. Heinz skidded to a halt a few paces away from him, and started to lift up his right leg.

"Lookame! One foot!"

" _Heinz_!" Keith screeched out when the toddler started to wobble. For a moment, he forgot all about his fatigued legs and dashed towards his small brother. "Put your foot down! You're going to fall-"

Heinz' eyes went wide and he yelped when he lost balance. He landed on his butt on the grass with a tiny shocked face, and then giggled at the paper crown being jostled and covering his eyes. Keith started to recover from his heart attack as soon as the little prince got back on his feet and adjusted his crown.

"Be careful, okay?"

"Yes! Ah! Uuu?" Heinz' gaze shifted somewhere away from his brother, brows up and eyes glinting with curiosity. The older boy followed the other's gaze, and found the apple tree standing in the exact center of the garden. Many apples hung on its branches, all of them big and juicy, and Heinz happened to be staring at one. He started to run towards the tree, with his big brother following him and catching him at every stumble.

Heinz looked up to the big shiny apple with a golden streak running vertically from the stem across its skin. He gasped in wonder, standing up on his toes as he tried to reach up to the apple. He jumped up and down.

"Appu… oh! Keif!" He called out with a grin, tugging at his big brother's shirt. He raised his chubby arms up to him. "Keif!"

And so Keith Aero Windermere melted on the spot. If only he could actually physically melt there, he could. Instead, his heart was filled with fuzziness and his smile quivered as he looked at his personal walking fountain of cuteness that was his little baby brother.

"Heinz… you said my name…"

"Keif! Up!" Heinz pointed up to the big apple hanging above him. "Appu."

Keith felt his tears flooding his eyes, but he blinked them away lest he drop his baby brother. He put his hands securely around his arms and hoisted him up. Once he was up, Heinz put his feet on the older boy's shoulders, and then gasped happily at his desired apple, now within reach. He plucked it off with his two hands, and looked down to signal he could go down now.

"Keif!" He slightly held up the magnificent apple, letting his older brother have a close look. He put on a wide smile. "I have appu!"

Keith grinned to his baby brother, walking to the tree and then folding his legs to sit down on the soft grass on the ground. Heinz looked downwards, unafraid of slipping off his _amazing_ big brother's secure hold. Once Keith comfortably sat on the ground with his back on the trunk of the apple tree, Heinz snuggled closer and rested his head on his brother's shoulder. Bright emerald eyes met sky blue.

"Do you want to eat your apple now, baby brother?" Keith asked.

"No." Heinz shook his head. "Pwetty."

"I agree, it's really pretty, Heinz. But you have to eat the apple, or bugs will eat it."

Heinz gazed at the beautiful apple in his tiny hands, and sighed. "But, pwetty..."

"Oh, Heinz, pretty apples are very tasty, you know!" Keith leaned over to kiss his little brother's platinum blond hair. _So cute, so tiny, so adorable, so cute_ , he squealed inwardly, _I want to pinch your cheeks right now._

"Taissy?" The prince gasped, and then smelled the apple. "Pwetty! Taissy!"

"Yes. We can eat that later." He then proceeded to pinch his chubby cheeks a little.

"Swice?" Heinz gestured above the apple, his hand a mock-knife.

"Yes, we can have it sliced. We can always ask for the servants to slice it for you. Don't you want to munch on it yourself?"

"You and me! Swice and share the pwetty taissy appu."

Keith fought his urge to melt once again. "We can share, yes! Thank you, little brother."

"Yay! Big bro." Heinz stood up to place the apple atop Keith's head, and then giggled. "Keif Appu Winnamee!"

"I'm Keith Apple Windermere, at your service!" The cadet unsheathed his toy sword and saluted, balancing the apple on his head. A smile graced his face.

The cheerful prince removed his crown and plopped it on his brother's head. "King of appu, Keif Aewo Winnamee. I am pwince of appu, Heins Newish Winnamee."

"Apple King… Apple Prince..." Keith chuckled. He didn't entirely expect his brother to latch onto him with arms and legs and almost knock him over. Fortunately, the prince was apple on his head tumbled down, rolling to place near the cadet's left hip. His crown went with the the fruit.

"Keif! I love you!" Heinz proclaimed, momentarily loosening his hold to place a little kiss on Keith's cheek. After that, he hugged him even tighter and closer.

Keith's heart melted for the umpteenth time that day. Beaming, he snaked his arms around his baby brother's waist to embrace him and rub his back. "Heinz, you make me so happy… I love you, too."

"I love you!"

"I love you, Heinz. I'm so glad, I feel so loved by you..."

Heinz released his older brother from his hug, picked up the apple, and looked at it with a smile. "Happy appu. I love you, pwetty taissy appu. And Keif. Cool big bro, I love you." He rested his head on his chest, snuggling closer. He yawned.

"I love you very much, small brother." Keith ruffled the small prince's hair.

Heinz didn't respond. Only small but deep breaths served as an answer.

"You're tired, aren't you? You ran a lot."

He crooned, wrapping his short arms around his apple.

"You're sleepy, aren't you?"

"Mmm…"

"You can sleep here. After all, the wind is cool, and it's the perfect weather today." He titled his head downwards to kiss his brother's head. "I love you, Heinz."

"Keif… I love you…" He yawned again, and he instantly fell asleep in his brother's warm embrace.


End file.
